The road not taken

Weapon special properties

While masterwork weapons are always good to have, having weapons of exceptional quality always result in the same mechanical effect is boring and unimaginative. Additionally, despite the facts that there are hundreds of weapons in the Pathfinder system, they are not too different from each other. To encourage warriors to use different weapons as a toolkit to solve encounters that require thinking strategically, and to add more flavor to the various weapons, the following properties can be used to complement the existing rules.

Weapons of exceptional quality can have up to two of the following qualities. In addition, weapons with either one of the following qualities can be magically enhanced. The market price of the property and the craft DC required to add the property are also given below.

Property: Armor-penetratingEffect: An armor-penetrating piercing weapon receives a +2 bonus on all attack rolls against an enemy wearing medium or heavy armor. This bonus stacks with any enhancement bonuses and the +1 bonus granted by the masterwork property.Applicable to: Any piercing weapon.Cost: 500 gpCraft DC: 22

Property: BashingEffect: When the opponent is hit from a bashing weapon, he must immediately make a Fort save with a DC equal to the damage dealt. Failure means that the opponent is pushed 5 feet back. Applicable to: Any weapon that deals bludgeoning damage (shields included).Cost: 800 gpCraft DC: 25

Property: BrutalEffect: Brutal weapons allow re-rolling of 1s when rolling for damage, but only once (i.e. if a 1 comes up again, then this is the damage dealt). Applicable to: Any weapon that deals a minimum of 1 point of damage.Cost: 500 gpCraft DC: 22

Property: Charge-breakingEffect: Charge-breaking weapons always have the “brace” special property. If the weapon already has this property, its wielder gains a +2 bonus to readied attacks against charging opponents. Applicable to: Any pick, shortspear or weapon with the “brace” special property.Cost: 300 gpCraft DC: 20

Property: CleavingEffect: Grants the wielder the Cleave feat, but the cleaving attack is made with a -4 penalty. If the wielder already has the Cleave feat, he makes the cleaving attack with a +1 bonus on the attack roll. This bonus stacks with enhancement bonuses or the +1 bonus granted from the masterwork property.Applicable to: Any two-handed melee weapon.Cost: 300 gpCraft DC: 20

Property: DevastatingEffect: Devastating weapons allow a +2 bonus when making critical confirmation checks. This bonus stacks with the enhancement bonuses or the +1 bonus from the masterwork quality. Applicable to: Any sword or bow.Cost: 300 gpCraft DC: 20

Property: DisarmingEffect: When this weapon is used to perform the disarm combat maneuver, its wielder does not provoke an attack of opportunity from the opponent. Applicable to: Any weapon with the “disarm” special property.Cost: 300 gpCraft DC: 20

Property: Easy to drawEffect: The wielder is treated as if having the Fast Draw feat for the purposes of drawing the weapon (and only this weapon). Applicable to: Any sword.Cost: 300 gpCraft DC: 20

Property: FastEffect: A fast dagger can be used to make two attacks (both at a -4 penalty) as a standard action. A fast bow can be used to make an additional attack when using the full-attack action, but all attacks suffer a -3 penalty. If the archer has the rapid shot feat, only one additional attack can still be made, but the penalty to all attacks is reduced to -1 instead of -2.Applicable to: Any dagger or bow.Cost: 300 gpCraft DC: 20

Property: FeintingEffect: A feinting dagger or knife allows feinting as a move action, rather than a standard action. Applicable to: Any dagger or knife.Cost: 300 gpCraft DC: 20

Property: FinessableEffect: The wielder of a finessable weapon is treated as if having the “Weapon finesse” feat for that particular weapon. Applicable to: Any weapon for which the “Weapon finesse” feat applies.Cost: 300 gpCraft DC: 20

Property: IntuitiveEffect: An intuitive weapon is easier to use than most weapons of its category. Anyone proficient with a similar weapon is also considered proficient with the “intuitive” version of this exotic weapon. For example, a character proficient in the use of longswords is also proficient in the use of an intuitive bastard sword.Applicable to: Any exotic weapon.Cost: 500 gpCraft DC: 22

Property: Knock-downEffect: When hit by a knock-down crossbow, the target must immediately make a Fort save with a DC equal to the damage dealt. Failure results in the target being knocked prone. Applicable to: Any crossbow (except hand crossbows).Cost: 300 gpCraft DC: 20

Property: ObliteratingEffect: When an obliterating weapon scores a critical hit, its wielder is allowed an Intimidate check as an immediate action against all opponents within 20 feet. If the blow felled the enemy who was hit, the Intimidate check is made with a +2 bonus.Applicable to: Any weapon with a x3 or x4 critical multiplier.Cost: 300 gpCraft DC: 20

Property: OpportunistEffect: An opportunist weapon receives a +2 bonus on attack rolls when used to make attacks of opportunity.Applicable to: Any light or finessable melee weapon that deals slashing or piercing damage.Cost: 300 gpCraft DC: 20

Property: Shield breakingEffect: When an attack with this weapon fails by 4 or less against an opponent with a wooden shield, the damage rolled is dealt on the shield. The same applies for metal shields, but a metal shield’s hit points can never be brought below 1 hp in this way.Applicable to: Any axeCost: 500 gpCraft DC: 22

Property: SturdyEffect: A weapon with the sturdy property adds +2 to its hardness and hit points.Applicable to: Any weapon.Cost: 300 gpCraft DC: 20

Property: SunderingEffect: When this weapon is used to perform the sunder combat maneuver, its wielder does not provoke an attack of opportunity from the opponent.Applicable to: Any melee weapon dealing bludgeoning damage.Cost: 300 gpCraft DC: 20

Property: Symbol of statusEffect: This finely ornamented weapon can be used to grant a +2 bonus to Diplomacy or Intimidate checks in the proper social context.Applicable to: Any weapon.Cost: 500 gpCraft DC: 22